Barbarossa's comments (member since Aug 16, 2008)

Barbarossa's comments from the Good Readers of Scotland group.

For non-fiction try: Robert Bruce And the Community of the Realm of Scotland, or for a broader view The Lion in the North

Try anything by: Nigel Tranter

Reading Le Morte D'Arthur The Winchester Manuscript. Not technically a Scottish book, but King Lot is from Lothian and rules Orkney too...and his sons, Gawain and his brothers, are Orkadian. Must read something modern soon though.

Flashbacks to reading the newspaper wrapping of fish and chips in Girvan and drinking Vimto.
Was he in the Record?

Allan wrote: "All good stuff if you're a Wegie but kind of alienates the Gaelic-speaking teuchters or those wi' the Doric or Scots, who would probably contend that they were the truer Scots.
Of course, the gentl..."

How do you make a ouija board? Take away his Buckfast and his jellies.
Allan, is your icon Angus Og?

Got this sent in an email, and thought I'd share it:

You know you are a true Scot if............

Ye can properly pronounce McConnochie, Ecclefechan, Milngavie, Sauchiehall St , St Enoch, Auchtermuchty and Aufurfuksake.
Yer used tae four seasons in wan day.
Ye kin fall about pished withoot spilling yer drink.
Ye measure distance in minutes.
Ye kin understaun Rab C Nesbitt and know characters just like him, in yer ain family.
Ye kin make hael sentences jist wae sweer wurds..
Ye know whit haggis is made ae and stull like eating it.
Somedy ye know his used a fitba schedule tae plan thur wedding day date.
You've been at a wedding and fitba scores are announced in the Church/Chapel.
Ye urny surprised tae find curries, pizzas, kebabs, fish n chips, iron-bru, fags and nappies all in the wan shop.
Yer holiday home at the seaside has calor gas under it.
Ye know irn-bru is a hangover cure.
Ye actually understand this and yurr gonnae send it tae yer pals.
Finally, you are 100% Scot if you have ever said/heard these words;

how's it hingin
clarty
boggin
cludgie
pished
get it up ye
wee beasties
erse bandit
amurny
away an bile yer heid
peely-wally
humphey backit
Ba'-heid
baw bag
dubble nugget
And finally......

A wee Glesga wumman goes intae a butcher shop, where the butcher has just came oot the freezer, and is standing haunds ahint his back, with his erse aimed at an electric fire. The wee wumman checks oot the display case then asks, 'Is that yer Ayrshire bacon?' 'Naw,' replies the butcher. 'It's jist ma haun's ah'm heatin'.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7944...
A letter of safe conduct to the Pope that Wallace used on his European travels may return to Scotland.

I hope Scotty falls into the "worst" pile? Even Scottish folk do rubbish Scottish accents when trying to quote Scotty...well, cronies of mine do after a few pints...
To see real Scottish officers of Starfleet check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcPgsMqPQ...
I genuinely think Mike Myers has one of the better ones though.

"Heid!" And cans of Export...anyone not Scottish just watch So I Married An Axe Murderer, it's all true...

OK, not strictly about books but just for a chuckle...
I just saw Michael Caine in Master Of Ballantrae, is this the worst Scottish accent in film? Groundsman Willie in the Simpsons?
Best? Jonny Lee Miller in Trainspotting? Mike Myers in So I Married An Axe Murderer?

Anyone a Burns fan?
Favorite poems?
John Barleycorn and A Man's A Man are near the top of my list.

Aye, stay in and keep warm. The summer's over.
No not on the dig, just been following it. Been in the Torvoag a few times though. Good juke box.
As I am a nosey sod I've been looking at everyone's profiles...Lazy, you may be one of the few folk here that has read Y Gododdin...I know another 1/2 dozen in actual (as opposed to virtual) reality (shifty Picts). Did you ever hear the Test Dept/Brith Goff music to it? Early '90s production. I liked it.
"...in might a man,
a youth in years,
of boisterous valour..."

Lazy: You involved in the Orkney dig that's ongoing at the minute???

Lazy: I read "Fanatic" a wee while ago, pretty good. Must add it to my "read" list.
On that note, James Hogg's "Justified Sinner" was good.
Thanks for the pointer on the MacBeth book. Historicaly accurate? Can't get enough of that Dark Ages stuff...or is it early medieval?

Heidi try John Prebble's "Lion In The North" for a good general Hx of Scotland. Hx Fiction wise, Nigel Tranter's stuff would be a good place to start.

Always find kilts comfy enough. Have 2, wouldn't want to hire...don't go commando in another man's kilt.
The whole Highland dress thing is a product of 19th cent. romanticism though. From what I can gather the tartan worn was traditionally based on the colours available and affordable to the wearer. So the richer you were the more complex a tartan.
Regarding the "Sgian Dubh": I've heard that the "dubh" (black) refers to the fact that it could be hidden rather than the colour of the weapon. This meant that if you gave up your obvious weapons you still had a "hold out" if necessary.

The Highland/Lowland thing has a bunch of roots.
Now I'm just glossing over here...oversimplifying maybe, but it'll give you an idea.
There's the obvious geographical thing - communication was more difficult in the highlands due to natural barriers; post Reformation division - mainly Catholic Highlands/Protestant Lowlands; the split between farming and industry; the more Anglo influenced Lowlands/Hiberno-norse influenced Highlands and Islands.
You have to remember that Scotland wasn't a country (like it is now) until medieval times. Bits were Scandinavian, and the Hebrides were as near independant entities as you can get under the Lordship of the Isles...and many noble families (the Bruces included) had land in England and France as well, so ideas of loyalty were a wee bit blurred. Also, ideas of nationhood weren't what they are now (if they were there at all).
But back to your original question:
I think one of the reasons Highlanders are famous in history is as a result of their use as shock troops during the days of the "British Empire".
Also the idea of "the noble savage" springs to mind.
After the attempt to crush the culture (post '45) and after the clans (and Jacobites) became less of a threat I think the romantic ideal of Highlanders started to seep into the general British cultural landscape (the novels of Walter Scott/MacPherson's Ossian/Victoria and Balmoral).
I think a good parallel would be the way Native Americans are thought of in some circles.

Well met folks.
Just joined the group.
Grew up in Paisley, now live in West Ireland.
So far enjoying goodreads.
Will try not to rant too much.